Radial expanding missile torpedo fins



Aug. 19, 1958 w. E. ENDREzzE RADIAL EXPANDING MISSILE TORPEDO FINS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 2, 1954 IN VEN TOR. WW

1958 w. E. ENDREZZE 2,847,960

RADIALEXPANDING MISSILE TORPEDO FINS Filed Feb. 2, 1954 IN VEN TOR.

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2 She ets-Sheet 2 2,847,960 l ate'nted Aug. 19, 1958 Eice 2,847,960 RADIAL EXPANDING MISSILE TORPEDO FINS William Eugene Endrezze, Long Beach, Calif. Application February 2, 1954, Serial No. 407,651

4 Claims. (Cl. 11420) This invention relates to missile torpedos and the like, and has for its prime object to provide fins for the missile I that may pass through a bore in normal diameter to the body of the missile, then expand longitudinally outward in a radiant manner after the missile has passed through the bore in its flight. This application is a continuationin-part of my copending application Serial No. 327,259, filed December 22, 1952.

Another object of this invention is to provide fins for a missile of small or great size to pass through a bore in its initial start, and then extend its fins longitudinally and in a radiant manner to exceed the diameter of the bore through which it had passed. Thereby such missile launchers as ramps, hangars, etc. may be dispensed with for a more accurate and efiective method in the launching of these missiles.

It is the present practice to provide missile rockets, etc.,' that have fixed fins not adaptable to be run through a tube or bore, and others that are to be run through a tube or bore tov have its fixed fins radiate from a slender stem to a diameter corresponding to the body diameter of the missile. While others that are to pass through a tube or bore provided with fins that are folded forward to pass through a bore and flip back through an arc of approximately 90 after the missile has left the tube or bore through which it has passed. These missiles that are provided with moveable fins wobble in their flight and lack accuracy due mainly to vibration of non-rigid fins and defective design.

It is an object of this invention to provide means by which the outwardly extended fins are made to be firmly gripped against vibration to true the missle against wobble in its flight comparable to a solid fixed fin of efiicient design.

By reason of this invention large long range missiles may be fired through a bore whose movable fins outwardly extended are comparable to short wing missiles, by a single stage fin expansion.

With these and other objects in view as will appear as the description proceeds the invention resides in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims hereinto appended.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a longitudinal view of a torpedo missile showing the stern section of the missile with its fins in normal position.

Fig. 2 is a front end view of the missile.

Fig. 3 is a stem end view of the missile showing the 4 fins in normal position around a center.

Fig. 4 is a cross section of a firing tube showing the missile in normal position within the bore of the firing tube.

Fig. is a longitudinal view of the missile leaving the end of the firing tube through which it has passed and having its fins extended outward after clearing the end of the firing tube.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal cross section view of the converging stern portion of the missile taken on the line 6--6 of Fig. 1 showing the fins in collapsed normal position.

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal cross section view of the converging stern portion of the missile taken on the line 77 of Fig. 5 showing the fins extended outwardly for its travel in flight.

Fig. 8 is a stern end view of the missile, showing the fins extended outward and a manner by which they lock solid in the tapering guides.

Fig. 9 is a side view of a section of one of the fins.

Fig. 10 is an end elevational view of the fin showing the tapering skirt of the fin, which correspond to the taper of the fin guides.

1 is the missile whose exterior may be classified as having three sections, 2 is the body or mid section generally considered the over all diameter of the missile, this would determine the bore diameter of the firing tube through which the missile is to be fired, 3 is the front section generally shaped according to the purpose for which the missile is used, 4 is the stern section which is here shown in along sweep tapering section towards the stern end 5 of the missile.

Within the stern section 4 are the fins 6 that act to true the missile in its flight. There are two fins on the vertical and two fins on the horizontal position, positioned in a manner by which they are extended outwardly as indicated by arrows a, b, e, d, Fig. 3, by means of expanders 7 one of several forms is here shown it being the simplest by which the fins are extended outwardly to seat the taper skirt 8 of the fins within the tapering seat of the fin guides 9 to make them rigid upon the missile and prevent any wobble of the missile due to vibrating fins.

Normally the fins are pinned downfor transit and handling by the pins 10 which are extracted only to free the fins upon inserting the missile 1 into the bore 11 of the firing tube 12. Upon discharging the missile from the firing tube the fins are in a condition to be extended outwardly at the instant the stem end 13 of the fins upon the missile clears the muzzle 14 of the firing tube.

Figs. 6 and 7 show a long sweep tapering stern section and as such the fins 6 surrounding the missile jet tube 15 are hinged to swing on the pins 16 passing through the fin guides 9 at the stern end 5 of the missile. These fin hinges 16 are not at all necessary upon a missile having a short taper stern section for both ends of the fins would move outwardly simultaneously to'lock in their taper guides 9 by the expanders 7 acting upon both ends of the fins 6 at the same time. Naturally in this case the taper fin guides 9 would be positioned on the inside of the missile case 17.

Fig. 9 shows a larger view of the stern end of the missile. This view is capable of showing the slight amount of taper necessary to wedge the taper fins 6 in their taper guides 9.

It is thought that the construction, operation, utility, and advantages of the invention will now be clearly understood by those skilled in the art without a more detailed description thereof. The present embodiments of the invention have been disclosed in detail merely by way of example since in actual practice they attain the features of advantage enumerated as desirable in the statements of the invention and the above description.

It will be apparent that changes in the details of construction, and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:

1. In a torpedo missile or barrel to start on its course for traveling through a fluid body, comprising; an elongate hollow cylindrical shell having a closed central portion of substantially constant exterior diameter that terminates at one end in a forwardly extending and inwardly curving front portion with theopposite end thereof having a rearwardly converging tapered stern portion that terminates in a greatly reduced diametrical end; a plurality of 90 circumferentially spaced, longitudinally disposed movable fins of substantially triangular shape projecting outwardly beyond the exterior surface of said stern portion with the longitudinal top edges of said fins being substantially flush with the exterior surface of said central portion, and having the remaining longitudinal portion of said fins beneath the surface within the confines of said converging portion; a plurality of 90 circumferentially spaced fin slots longitudinally extending through theshell of said converging portion and formed in taper with guide means through which said finsswing; fin pivot means provided at one end of each of said fin slots to which one end of the fins within the slots are attached; a lateral wedging taper faced portion longitudinally extending upon the sides of each of said movable fins providing wedging means by which the fins are held in rigid wedged condition Within the taper of said guide means; and a plurality of fin expanders Within the shell confines of said converging stern portion, each of which acting upon the loose end of said fins providing means by which the fins are forced outwardly in a radial manner upon clearing the muzzle end of a firing tube, to seat rigidly in wedged condition within the tapered guide means provided upon the converging stern portion of said missile shell for flat trajectory, accuracy, and extended range of said torpedo missile.

2. In a torpedo missile fin system capable of passing through the bore of a tube or barrel according to claim 1, wherein the application of said movable fins of the missile includes a lateral Wedging taper faced portion longitudinally disposed along the side of said fins providing wedging means by Which each of said fins are held in rigid wedged condition at their fully extended outward posi- 4 tion within mated fin guide slots provided for said fins of increased surface area providing longitudinal body support of said torpedo missile in flight.

3. In a torpedo missile fin system capable of passing through the bore of a tube or barrel according to claim 1, wherein the application of fin guide means for said missile includes; a plurality of longitudinally extending and circumferentially spaced slots of relatively narrow width through the shell of said tapered converging stern portion, each of said slots having their longitudinal side edges transversely taper formed in opposite direction whereby the broader side of said slot is on the inner surface of said missile shell in wedging taper relation to the exterior side opening of said slot provided on the exterior surface of said missile shell.

4. In a torpedo missile fin system capable of passing through the bore of a tube or barrel according to claim 1 wherein the application of said movable fins includes a taper faced-skirted portion on the sides of said fin providing Wedging means thereby, means provided at one end of said fins under pressure tending to urge the loose end of said fins in an outward direction from within the confines of said tapered converging stern portion, said means fin expanders actuated by muzzle release of said fins upon discharge of the missile from said firing tube or barrel, for instant increase of the fin surface area in rigid wedge-d support to ride the slip stream of the fluidbody through which the torpedo missile is traveling.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 370,570 Sullivan et al Sept. 27, 1887 1,243,817 Crawford Oct. 23, 1917 2,427,217 Lebhertz Sept. 9, 1947 2,666,387 Richey Jan. 19, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 262,917 Germany July 25, 1913 

